Here is chapter two... almost double the length of the first chapter... thanks for all the reviews!!! Keep 'em coming!!! :D

mynameisme - I'm glad you're enjoying the sequel! This is the first time I've attempted such, so wish me luck! ;)

not a zatarc - J/S bonding earns a 'yay' from me too!! :)

LadyMo - Your wish is my command!

And, now - our feature presentation!!! *claps wildly*

Chapter Two

So the next morning, he picked her up at a quarter after seven and they headed off to Denver.

Neither commented on the fact that Jack had left Grace's car-seat in his car for over a year.

The conversation was painfully lacking, just a few brief sentences about 'those rocks', as Jack called them. Sam was relieved when they finally reached the hospital. Jack picked up on the fact that Sam didn't like hospitals, he assumed that they brought back memories about her mother. The truth was that they brought back memories of Charlie for him. When he was born, when he died.

Silently, Jack took Sam's hand in his and squeezed it briefly before letting go. The both walked into the hospital, both lost in their own memories.

Before long they had found the cancer ward and Hannah's son.

He was still young, only about 19. Somehow, he found his way into Sam's arms and, as uncomfortable as it made her, she held him for a moment so he could regain his composure.

"I'm so sorry about your mother, Jasper," Sam spoke, softly.

He let go and took a few steps back.

"Thank you, Samantha. She wants to speak to you both."

They silently followed him into Hannah's room. Sam gasped when they entered the room.

The woman who had looked so young, been so lively, was now laying in a hospital bed with all sorts of monitors and IVs hooked up to her. She was struggling to keep her eyes open and she looked... well she looked just plain... old. Trying desperately to hold on to life... as if she was 75 instead of 45.

Jack put his arm around Sam's waist when he saw how uncomfortable she was. They slowly made their way over to Hannah's bed. The woman tried to speak to them, but could only get out a few words at a time.

"Jack, Samantha... The doctors say... I only have a few days left... I wanted to see you... because I wanted... to make sure... that Grace was taken care of."

"We'll do everything to make sure she gets placed with the best family possible, we'll make sure it happens," Jack spoke softly.

"No," Hannah protested, as strongly as she could.

"I want you to have her... Grace. No one deserves... her as... much as you... both do."

"But, we can't..."

"I wanted you... here to promise me... that you'll take... Grace. My will... states that she... belongs to you now... promise me... promise that you'll... take care of her... that you'll keep her... please."

Tears were openly falling down Sam's face now and Jack was fighting very hard to hold back the tears that were threatening him.

Jack gave Sam a glance and she nodded. He built up his courage and uttered the words, "We promise."

Hannah smiled. "Thank... you."

They stood there for a few minutes in silence, until Hannah's heart monitor started to speed up and she closed her eyes and rolled her head to one side.

Jasper called desperately for a doctor. The doctor rushed in, but he was too late. Hannah was gone.

Jasper broke down and slid down onto the floor. Sam started to sob and Jack took her into his arms. His t-shirt was growing more and more soaked, but he didn't care. A tear ran down his face, one single tear for the woman who had just passed.

The doctor finally ushered the three s out of the room. Jasper had managed to calm himself down a little.

"Our lawyer said that if you agreed to take Grace, he'd sign custody over to you right away. His office is downtown."

"Thank you. Where is Grace?"

"Um, the hospital has a nursery on the third floor. She's there. I'll go with you to sign her out."

The walked into the elevator and rode up to the third floor. Jasper signed Grace out and handed her to Sam.

"Thank you for all of your help," Jasper said.

"Please keep in touch, Jasper," Sam said.

"I will. Here are all the things you'll need for Grace," he said as he handed Jack two bags. "Here is the lawyer's address. I called him and he said you could come right over and sign the papers for custody. My mother made it as easy as she could."

"Thank you. Here's my home phone number. If you need anything, or want to talk, or if you want to see Grace... just call and let us know." Jack handed him a piece of paper with his number on it.

"I will. Goodbye." With that, he walked off. They rode the elevator down and put Grace in the car. Then they both climbed into Jack's car and started to drive to the lawyer's office.

"Thank you... for what you did back there," Sam stated softly. "I mean, I've watched people die before... but it's never like that."

"It is totally different than some Jaffa. In this situation... you're dealing with completely people who deserve to keep on living."

"Yeah, I guess its a big difference."

They walked into the lawyer's office, signed a whole bunch of papers, and when they walked out, they were the legal parents of a 15 month old baby .

"I still can't believe she's ours," Jack stated, shock evident in his voice.

"Me neither."

Grace was asleep the whole way home. When they finally got back to Jack's house, Sam took Grace out of her car-seat and Jack went to get her old things out from the attic.

Sam rocked the sleeping child in her arms while Jack set up the crib. When he finished, Sam set her inside and covered her with a blanket.

"Good thing you bought a big crib," Sam said smiling. "I can't believe how much she's grown."

"It's been a year, Sam. I'm sure she's changed a lot."

"I can't believe we haven't actually seen her in that long."

She looked down at the sleeping g irl in front of her. Her blond hair was getting long. It had almost passed her shoulders. Sam had noticed Grace's eyes had now turned from blue to a beautiful brown.

She sat down on the couch still in a daze. She didn't even notice when Jack sat down beside her. He quietly asked, "What's wrong?"

She jumped slightly before realizing that Jack was beside her now, instead of across the room.

"Tell me this isn't all a dream," she stated.

Jack saw a look of desperation in her eyes, a look he had never seen before.

"This isn't a dream, Sam. It's all real."

And in that moment, she let all the tears she'd been holding back since they left the hospital fall freely. She put her head in her hands and started to sob. This made Jack a little uncomfortable. He didn't know if she wanted him to be there for her or leave her alone.

He decided on a compromise and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. She pulled her head from her hands and wiped her tears away.

"I'm sorry," she apologized without looking up at him.

"Don't apologize. This has been a hard day for both of us. And Grace."

"I'm really not usually this emotional, I'm really not."

"I know."

"I just don't know whether to be all emotional because Hannah died or emotional because we finally have Grace."

"It's confusing, isn't it."

"Yeah, it is."

They sat side by side on the couch, lost in their own thoughts for few moments. Rather suddenly, Jack stood up.

"Jack? Are you okay?"

"Look, I know what we should do."

"Okay..."

"I booked a flight for early tomorrow morning to my cabin. I was going to cancel it, but I realized that you and Grace should come with me. That way, we can get some relaxation on our leave and also have a few days in the middle of nowhere to figure everything out."

"That sounds like a good idea!"

"And why is that so surprising?"

For the first time that day, Sam smiled a real smile at Jack. Something he prided himself on.

"I should go back home and pack."

"I'll call the airport and get another ticket.

"What time does the flight leave?"

"9:30."

"Okay. I'll be back in about an hour."

"Actually, can you pick up these things at the store before you come back?" He handed her a list. "Grace really needs some things."

"Grace needs beeer?"

"Okay, so maybe that's for me..."

"Make that an hour and a half."

Jack handed her the keys and she picked up her purse.

"Don't crash my car, Sam."

"Aw... I was looking forward to that!" She smiled and walked out of the house.

And as if on cue, Grace woke up and started to cry.

"Gwamma!"

Jack walked over and picked her up.

"Hey Grace. I know you don't remember me, but I sure remember you."

He kissed her forehead and rubbed her back until she calmed down. He picked up the phone and made the changes to his flight and made sure everything was in order.

He set Grace down on the floor and walked into the kitchen. She toddled after him and opened a cupboard. Jack caught her and scooped her up in his arms.

"Well, I see this is going to be a problem."

He walked her back into the living room and set her in the crib. He turned to walk back into the kitchen, but Grace started to scream and cry. He picked her up and she calmed right down.

"I see. You like to be held, do you?"

He carried her into the kitchen and made himself a sandwich, using only one hand.

"Well, I haven't had to do this is a while."

Eating the sandwich was another matter entirely. Grace kept trying to grab his sandwich. He broke off a little piece and gave it to her.

However, she was only pleased for a moment.

"Mo'," she cried.

In the end, most of his sandwich had ended up in Grace's stomach.

"See, that's not fair, Grace. I was hungry!"

Grace just smiled.

He laid down on his couch, with Grace in his arms, and they both fell asleep.

And there it is? Liked it? Didn't like it? Just press that pretty little button down there and let me know!

I really appreciate the reviews - thank you so much!!!